About Philander Smith College

Philander Smith College is a private, residential, co-educational, four-year undergraduate liberal arts college
affiliated with the United Methodist church and a founding member of the United Negro
College Fund (UNCF). Philander is classified as a baccalaureate (liberal arts) college
by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Updated in 2007, the College's mission is
to graduate academically accomplished students who are grounded as advocates for social
justice, determined to intentionally change the world for the better.

The College is nestled near the progressive epicenter of downtown Little Rock which
encompasses the thriving cultural and business River Market District and the William
J. Clinton Presidential Center. Little Rock is the state capital of Arkansas, and
is located at the foothills of the beautiful Ozark Mountains and on the south bank
of the Arkansas River. The city is served by airlines, trains, bus lines and both
interstate and state highways.

Philander Smith College is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges
and Schools, National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, Association
for Collegiate and Business Schools and Programs, and the Council on Social Work Education
and currently offers four degrees: the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor
of Business Administration, and the Bachelor of Social Work.

In the past the College’s mission has been
to grant access to higher education to individuals who are, or who have the potential
to be, academically talented, regardless of social, economic, or educational background
. Although many of our students have stellar academic backgrounds, Philander Smith
College also has the ability to nurture students who have been overlooked by other
colleges. Many of our students come from low-income families and it is not uncommon
that they are the first in their family to attend college. Some may also enter the
college as average high school students, but emerge later with the capacity and motivation
to pursue graduate and professional degrees and excel in their fields. A view of Little Rock at night from campus. (Dan Pierce)